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iayal

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iayal’s Bookshelves

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iayal is Currently Reading

iayal is currently reading

Tyrant Baru Cormorant (The Masquerade, #3)

by Seth Dickinson (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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(page 268 of 656)
"as i don’t see the fourth book coming anytime soon, i have decided to start this (and what better day to continue one of my favourite series than on my birthday 🥰🥰)!" — Jul 21, 2026 08:51PM

Jul 21, 2026 08:50PM

iayal is currently reading

어떤 계모님의 메르헨 1 [Eoddeon Gyaemo-nim-eui Märchen 1] (The Fantasie of a Stepmother #1)

by ORKA

bookshelves: currently-reading, buddyreads-with-su, reviewed-manga-hwa

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iayal said: " review of season 1:

so far, overrated. most of my friends who have read manhwa preach this as the best one to ever exist and i do not see the appeal so far. high points would be one singular subplot that happened near the end of this season and jere review of season 1:

so far, overrated. most of my friends who have read manhwa preach this as the best one to ever exist and i do not see the appeal so far. high points would be one singular subplot that happened near the end of this season and jeremy von neuschwanstein. sadly, my friend (who i am reading this manhwa with!) and i are absolutely demonically fiending over this stepmother-stepson romance so, that is definitely the most-high point right now. while i am hooked enough to continue, i still do not see what others see (hopefully, yet).

for some critiques: why does everyone say this is so political? yawn, evil clergy, we all know the story. literally offering nothing new. and then, the main character just makes decisions that are pure-common sense. literally no scheming whatsoever. so, every other person acting like she’s some maestro is… baffling. (but, what i do appreciate is that she can be very firm and isn’t passive. it took some time for that to truly come out but, it was done well. i also liked the last bit of this season where her actions questioned the preconceived notions of marriage and female autonomy.) and literally so many people hate her for this political maestro-likeness of her but, there’s nothing so? and then, so many men being obsessed with her because she looks like the dead empress is weirdddd as fuck. it’s such an unnecessary thing, i don’t know why the author wrote this? everyone that’s “evil” in this is either some churchman or obsessed with her or in some cases, both. bitch, bye.

i also don’t like how we don’t see any excessive inner conflict from the main character from being a mother to kids the same age as her… actually, being a mother when she’s a teenager. she’s talked about it once or twice but, nothing huge, which is so unrealistic. if there’s no rationale behind that later on, definitely very stupid. and she also takes too naturally to the maternal role which is weird. i don’t like that my main character is acting like some old auntie with all the “oh, dear boy” talk.

the main romance we are supposed to care about is boring. and cringe. they literally get introduced as some knight-in-shining armour thing. and, then we got a few chapters of him in the past-life where we find out he’s some creepy, holier-than-thou stalker who fell into insta-love with her. i’m not excited for this romance to develop…

on the other hand, we have this stepmother-stepson goodness here. the thrill i felt when reading this was phenomenal. their romance is so natural and there is such chemistry! oh, that forbidden thrill! (but, not too much to be icky… it’s just perfect.) there’s such good moments, quotes, panels… the author had to know what she was doing. i am in love with the potential of that! also, them in the past life was so, so, so delicious. there is such deliciousness!!! (im sorry, but this is the reason that most motivates me for this manhwa…)

i think this could’ve been a better manhwa if she didn’t die and then, go back in time. that’s boring. and the past life was so juicy. literally everything was so much more interesting. if she was near-death instead… sigh. but, it is what it is. ...more "

Jul 16, 2026 10:59AM · see review

iayal’s Quotes

“The morning weighs on my shoulders with the dreadful weight of hope and I take the blue envelope which Jacques has sent me and tear it slowly into many pieces, watching them dance in the wind, watching the wind carry them away. Yet, as I turn and begin walking toward the waiting people, the wind blows some of them back on me.”
― James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room

tags: ending, giovanni-s-room, hope, james-baldwin, last-lines, sad, symbolism

16 likes

“I’ll pay her bloody ransom. Gold, sapphires, whatever you want. Pull her out of there.” “You want her? Go get her.” So he did.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords

2 likes

“But to look back from the stony plain along the road which led one to that place is not at all the same thing as walking on the road; the perspective to say the very least, changes only with the journey; only when the road has, all abruptly and treacherously, and with an absoluteness that permits no argument, turned or dropped or risen is one able to see all that one could not have seen from any other place.”
― James Baldwin, Go Tell It on the Mountain

tags: experience, growth, maturity, perspective

69 likes

“Good-bye, she thinks. Good-bye, kuye lam. I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood.”
― Seth Dickinson, The Traitor Baru Cormorant

31 likes